Game apparatus



F. J. MARCO GAME APPARATUS June 2, 1936.

Filed April 25, 1955 [Willi I ENTOR. fiederztlz la Marco BY W M gmw H/JATTORNEYS.

Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUSApplication April 25, 1935, Serial No. 18,178

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved game apparatuswhich is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efficientin use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel andimproved device for controlling the path or direction of travel of aball played onto the ball playing surface of the apparatus intoengagement with a resilient rebound member and reprojected therefromover the playing surface of the apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustabledevice for causing a ball played onto the playing surface of theapplication to rebound thereover at a preselected angle.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a game apparatus embodying apreferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational detail view of one of the resilient reboundor ball-deflecting members embodied in the invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the resilient balldefiecting element shownin Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational detail view of the rebound element shown inFigs. 2 and 3; and

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are detail views of a modified form of the invention.

A game apparatus embodying a preferred form of the present invention isshown in the drawing, is therein generally indicated at I 0, andcomprises a cabinet H, which includes an inclined playing board l2.Arranged in the cabinet II adjacent one side of the inclined playingboard I2 is a ball ramp or runway l3 and arranged at the lower end ofthe ramp or runway I3 is a ballpropelling device or plunger [4 by meansof which balls may be propelled, one at a time, onto the upper portionof the inclined playing board I2 so that they may gravitate thereover.

Slidably mounted in supporting brackets l5 which are mounted upon theinclined playing board l2, adjacent the opposite side of the latter fromthe ramp I3, is a rod l6 which has a handle portion ll disposedexteriorly of the cabinet II, the rod I 6 being slidably mounted in thelower end wall I8 of the cabinet. 7

Mounted upon the slide rod I6 at spaced intervals axially therealong andradially therearound are pins or laterally projecting elements or stopmembers I9.

Mounted upon each of the supporting brackets I5 is a laterallyprojecting pin or bolt 20 and 5 swingingly mounted upon each of thesepins or bolts 20 is a wire coil 2|, each of these coils 2| having aball-reprojecting arm 22 and each of these arms 22 having a laterallyprojecting end portion 23. 10

Mounted upon each of the brackets l 5, as at 42, is a resilient wiremember 24, each of these members 24 having an end portion 43, and theseend portions 43 extend behind the swinging members 22-23 (Fig. 4).Carried by the rod I6 is an in- 5 dicator 25 (Fig. 1).

By manipulating the shaft 16, through the medium of its handle ll, theplayer may position any preselected one of the pins l9 carried therebyin the path of rebound of the corresponding resilient member 2223, asshown in full lines, Fig. 2, so as to rebound or direct a played ball 26from any preselected one of the ball-reprojecting resilient members22-23 toward a preselected point or object upon the inclined playingboard 12. This may be accomplished as follows: The player rotates theknob I! and shaft l6 until the indicator 25 thereon indicates to theplayer the particular rebound or reprojecting member 2223 against whichhe intends the played ball to strike. 30

The stop pins IS on the slide rod l6 are normally disposed in an uprightor vertical position, as in dotted lines, Fig. 2, out of the path ofswinging movement of the reprojecting members 22-23, and when in thisposition the ballreprojecting members 2223 will, when struck by a playedball 26, swing freely about their horizontal axes or supporting bolts2|]. However, by rotating the shaft l6-Il the player may move anypreselected one of the laterally projecting elements or pins l9 into ahorizontal position, as in full lines, Fig. 2, thereby moving theselected pin l9 into a position wherein the same will be engaged by thecorresponding resilient balldeflecting or reprojecting member 2223 whenthe latter is struck or engaged by a played ball 26, thereby preventingthe struck ball-deflecting or reprojecting member 2223 from swingingabout its supporting axis 20 and causing the same to engage thecorresponding selected stop pin l9; thereby causing the momentum of theplayed ball to exert a bending stress upon the resilient rebound member2223 and thus causing the played ball to be deflected or reprojectedtherefrom at a preselected angle over the inclined playing board l2 andat a preselected point thereon.

The resilient or wire members 2443 urge the resilient ball-deflecting orreprojecting members 22-23 against the stop pins l9, when the latter arein effective or horizontal position, it being noted that the endportions 43 of the wire members 24 project laterally across thereprojecting members 22-23 on the opposite sides of the same from theside on which the stop pins l9 are disposed when in effective position,(Fig. 4). These members 24 thus prevent a free rebound swinging movementof the reprojecting members 22-23 when the latter are engaged by theplayed balls 26 and thus increase the effectiveness of the reprojectingor rebound movement imparted to the reprojecting members 24 when thelatter are engaged by the played balls.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and inthis form of the inventionthe'slidable operating rod 21, whichcorresponds to the slide rod [6 in the preferred. form of the inventionshown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, is provided with a handle 28 which isdisposed exteriorly'of the cabinet 29, and arranged upon this slide rod21, at spaced intervals axially therealong and radially therearound, arelaterally projecting elements or pins 30, which correspond to the stoppins I9. The slide rod 21 is slidably mounted in the cabinet 29 and in asupporting bracket 32 and is normally disposed in its initial orinefiective'position, as in dotted line, Fig. 5, by action of itsresetting spring 44.

Mounted in the cabinet 29, above the inclined playing board 3|, aresupporting brackets 32 and projecting laterally from each of thesebrackets 32'is a supporting pin 33. Attached to each of these supportingpins 33 is a coil spring 34. Each of'these coil springs 34 is attachedat one end to a looped end portion 35 of a resilient Wireballreprojecting member 31, and these resilient wire members 31 areswingingly mounted upon bolts 38 which extend horizontally from thebrackets In the use of the modified form of the invention shown in Figs.5, 6 and '7, the player may move any preselected one of the reboundmembers 36 from its normal or ineffective position, as in dotted lines,Fig. 7, into its efiective or ball-engaging and reprojecting position,as in full lines, Fig. 7, by pushing the slide rod 21 inwardly againstthe action of its resetting spring 44 (left to right, Fig. 5) therebycausing the corresponding and preselected pin 30 carried thereby toengage under the U-shaped central portion 45 of the correspondingresilient member 36, whereupon the player may, by rotating the slide rod21 a predetermined circumferential distance, pivot the selected reboundor reprojecting member clockwise from its normal or ineffectiveposition, as in dotted lines, Fig. '7, into its effective position as infull lines, Fig. '7. During this movement the spring 34 is moved fromdotted to full line position, Fig. '7, thereby urging the horizontallyextending position 31 of the member 36 against the corresponding pin 39and into the path of a ball 40 traveling over the inclined playing board3|; it being noted that when in its normal or ineffective position theresilient member 36-31 bears against a stop pin 4| which projects fromthe supporting bracket 32, and upon its efiective position, theresilient member 3631 abuts a stop pin 39 which also projects from thebracket 32.

In order to reset the ball-reprojecting member 363'| back into itsinitial position the player releases pressure applied to the slide rod21, whereupon the resetting spring 44 returns the slide rod 21 and thepins 30 carried thereby back into their initial position (right to left,from full to dotted line position, Fig. 5), whereupon the spring 34 actsupon the selected rebound or reprojecting member 363! to swing thelatter (counter-clockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 7),thus moving the rebound member 3631 back into its initial or ineffectiveposition, as in dotted lines, Fig. '7.

While only one pin 30 and one set of associated devices have been shown,it is to be understood that any desired number of the pins 30 maybearranged upon the slide rod 21 and arranged at spaced intervals oraxially therealong and radially therearound, after the manner shown anddescribed for the arrangement of the stop pins I9 on the slide rod 16.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and'modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention what I claimas new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus having a member providing a ball playing surface;a plurality of balldeflecting members mounted in said cabinet formovementinto and out of position to be engaged by balls traveling oversaid playing surface; and means for selectively moving saidball-deflecting members into and out of position to be engaged by ballstraveling over saidplaying surface; said means including a memberslidably mounted in said cabinet for movement relative to said playingsurface; and a plurality of laterally projecting elements carried bysaid slidably mounted member and selectively engageable with saidball-deflecting members to move the latter into effectiveQrbaII-defiecting position.

2. In a game apparatus, having a member providing a ball playingsurface; a resilient ball-defiecting member movably mounted in saidcabinet for movement into and out of position to be face; a resilientball-deflecting member movably mounted in said cabinet for movement intoand out of position to be engaged by a ball traveling over said playingsurface; and means for moving said ball-deflecting member into and outof position to be engaged by a ball traveling over said playing surface;said means including a member slidably mounted in said cabinet formovement relative to said playing surface and having a pin thereonprojecting laterially and coaoting with said ball-deflecting member tomove the latter into effective position to be engaged by a balltraveling over said playing surface.

4. In a game apparatus including a cabinet having a member providing aball playing surface; a plurality of ball-deflecting members movablymounted in said cabinet for movement into and out of position to beengaged by balls traveling over said playing surface; and means forselectively moving said ball-deflecting members into and out of positionto be engaged by balls traveling over said playing surface; said meansincluding a member slidably and rotatably mounted in said cabinet formovement relative to said playing surface; and a plurality of laterallyprojecting members carried by said slidably mounted member and arrangedat spaced intervals axially therealong and radially therearound andselectively engageable with said balldefiecting members to move thelatter into effective position to be engaged by balls traveling oversaid playing surface.

5. In a game apparatus including a cabinet having a member providing aball playing surface; a plurality of resilient ball-deflecting membersmovably mounted in said cabinet for movement into and out of position tobe engaged by balls traveling over said playing surface; and means forselectively moving said resilient balldefiecting members into and out ofposition to be engaged by balls traveling over said playing surface;said means including a member slidably and rotatably mounted in saidcabinet for movement relative to said playing surface; and a pluralityof laterally projecting members carried by said slidably mounted memberand arranged at spaced intervals axially therealong and radiallytherearound and selectively engageable with said resilientball-deflecting members to move the latter into effective position to beengaged by balls traveling over said playing surface.

FREDERICK J. MARCO.

